Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate the domestic and socio-economic influences on the performance of African women managers in the Free State Provincial Administration. The effectiveness of the African woman manager in the Public Service is playing an increasingly important role in service delivery, as more and more women are being appointed in managerial posts. The public sector with its various governmental institutions has led the way for the introduction of women into the professional and managerial echelons and has thus been the core of sweeping changes. A survey questionnaire targeting the 79 African women managers in the Free State Provincial Administration was conducted. This was followed by a focus group discussion amongst eight participants from the original sample, as a supporting method of data collection. On a demographic level, significant information was derived from the research. It became apparent that African women managers in the Free State Provincial Administration functioned independently in the social, economic and professional spheres of their lives. The respondents were financially independent, career-orientated and valued having children of their own. They preferred a lifestyle that would fulfil their needs, while also contributing to the enhancement of their skills and effectiveness as professional women.